Grilled Fig & Onion Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Figs, Figs, and more figs!

That's what it's all about when you attend a Figology-Fest sponsored by California Figs

Just a few quick nutritional value and fun facts: they are high in fiber and a natural energy source. Fat, sodium and cholesterol free!

I personally think they are underrated. Of course those who love them, rate them highly but I don't think figs aren't 'out there' enough. Sure you see dried figs here and there and if you go to a specialty store, you'll find fig jams and spreads. But there's so much more you can do with them!

For instance...make an amazing glaze

And use it to smother a pork tenderloin that's been stuffed with Brie cheese and a bit of the glaze.

Are you drooling yet?

I used three different kinds of figs for this glaze. There's Mission, Brown Turkey and Calimyrna figs. Use whatever you can get your hands on. It's all good!

Fig and Onion Glazed Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Brie Cheese
Printable Version

2 tablespoons olive oil
12 large figs, stems removed and cut into quarters
1 medium sweet onion thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup of white balsamic vinegar
juice from 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pork tenderloin (although you will most likely have enough glaze for 2 if needed)
16 oz brie cheese

In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the figs, onion, and sugar. Cook, stirring often, until tender and caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the white balsamic to de-glaze the pan and continue cooking until desired thickness. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cut the rind off the brie cheese and slice thinly

Take your pork tenderloin and butterfly it into thirds so that it opens up like a letter. Basically you're going to slice the top third, without going all the way through and then rotate you knife the other way and slice the bottom third, going in the opposite direction to complete. (this procedure can be googled for move visual instructions on youtube).

Drizzle the tenderloin with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Lay a row of cheese along the center. Spread a bit of the glaze over the cheese and lay another row of cheese over that.

Roll up and truss your tenderloin up to hold everything together. You can also google the procedure for trussing for a more visual aid. I'm not a pro at it enough to instruct you. To be honest, this is the first time I've ever done it (shows you how easy it is).

Rub a bit of the glaze over the meat.

Place over direct heat on a hot grill to get a good sear all the way around, then move it over to indirect heat to finish cooking, about 20 minutes, depending on how hot your grill is.

Remove from the grill and let rest for about 5 minutes. Snip the twine away, slice and serve with glaze.

Sweet, tangy, a bit sour from the blasamic vinegar....and absolutely delish! So good, that I made a savory jam version of this recipe so that I can have it any time I want. I'll be posted that recipe soon.

In the mean time, let me share some amazing fig recipes that I enjoyed at the Figology-Fest:

Thank you to Erika, Judy, California Figs and everyone else who made this event come together. It was a lovely afternoon with amazing dishes and great company! 

Boozy Fig Milkshake
Recipe by Erika Kerekes, In Erika’s Kitchen
Created for Figology Fest LA Part II (7/12/14)
Ingredients
1 pound fresh figs, any variety
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 pint vanilla ice cream
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup port
2 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Wash the figs, cut off the stems, and slice the figs in half vertically. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then place the fits on the baking sheet cut side up. Sprinkle the figs with the sugar.
Roast the figs 15 minutes, until they are softened and starting to brown around the edges and on top. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the figs cool on the baking sheet to room temperature.
Just before serving, put the roasted figs (with any accumulated juices), ice cream, milk, port and vinegar into a blender. Blend until the ingredients are thoroughly distributed, although not a moment longer or you'll turn the whole thing to soup.
Serve immediately with both spoons and straws.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4

Figs on Parmesan Crackers
Recipe by: Two Broads Abroad
Ingredients
1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
4 ounces Mascarpone
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
5 Ripe figs I’d suggest black mission
Preheat oven to 350
To make crackers: On greased baking sheet spoon one tablespoon of grated Parmesan on one side of the sheet. Using your fingers, press the cheese into a circle. Continue making 16 cheese circles. Leave enough space between crackers as the cheese will spread. Bake in oven for 12 minutes or until the edges are browned
Remove baked crackers with spatula and place on cooling rack. Don’t leave on baking sheet because they will stick.
Balsamic reduction. Place balsamic in sauce pan over medium/low heat and reduce to 1/4 cup about 5 minutes. Cool
Assembly. Place crackers on a tray. Spoon one teaspoon of mascarpone on cracker. Depending on size of fig, slice in half or in quarters. Place fig piece on mascarpone. Continue until all crackers are complete. Drizzle reduced balsamic over finished crackers.
Crackers can be made up to two days before serving. Place in air tight container.

Stuffed Figs A La Blue
Recipe by Erika Kerekes, In Erika’s Kitchen
Created for Figology Fest LA Part II (7/12/14)
Ingredients
1/4 cup almonds, whole or sliced
12 fresh Mission figs
4 ounces blue cheese
1 Tablespoon honey
Instructions
Put the almonds into a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Toast the almonds, shaking the pan every 10 seconds, until they're starting to turn brown in spots and you can smell them. Pour the almonds onto a plate and let cool 20 minutes. Once the almonds are cool, chop them fairly finely with a knife or in a small food processor. Don't make yourself crazy; it's fine if the pieces aren't quite all the same size.
Wash the figs and cut off the stems plus about 1/2 inch. Poke your finger into the top of the fig and wiggle it down gently to make a little pocket in the middle of the fruit.
Now take a small lump of the blue cheese and stick it down into the pocket. Using the back of a spoon or a pastry brush, coat the top of the fig with a thin layer of honey. Dip the top of the fig into the chopped almonds, then set the fig on a platter. Repeat with the remaining figs.
Serve at room temperature so the cheese gets nice and soft.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Fig Olive Focaccia
Recipe by Judy Lyness, Two Broads Abroad (focaccia dough recipe from Jim Lahey’s My Bread)
Created for Figology Fest LA Part II (7/12/14)
Ingredients
1 cup Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
2 ½ cups water
4 ½ cups flour
2 ½ teaspoons dried yeast
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt (fine grain)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil
1 large onion, sliced into rings
1 pound fresh figs, assorted varieties, stemmed and cut lengthwise into quarters
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
Instructions
Put the potatoes and the water in a pot. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and cook over medium-low heat until soft, about 20 minutes.
Puree the potatoes in the cooking water with an immersion blender, blender or food mill until smooth. Let cool to 120 degrees.
Put the flour, yeast, sugar and half the salt in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add the potato puree and mix with your hands or a large spoon. The dough will be sticky.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until it is tripled, 2-3 hours.
Heat 1 Tablespoon of the oil in a large, heavy skillet. Cook the onions until brown in spots but still firm enough to retain their circular shapes. Let the onions cool.
Oil a half-sheet baking pan lightly, using about 2 Tablespoons of oil. Put the dough on the pan and press it out gently to the edges of the pan. Distribute the onions over the dough, then the figs and olives. Let rise 30-60 minutes.
While the focaccia is rising, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Gently place the focaccia in the oven. Don’t bump the tray - the dough will fall. Bake 15-20 minutes, until the focaccia is golden brown on the bottom and starting to brown on top. Sprinkle with the chopped rosemary.
Cut into wedges and serve immediately.
Prep time: 30 minutes plus rising time
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12+

Turkey Confit With Fig Chutney
Recipe by Judy Lyness, Two Broads Abroad
(Fig chutney inspired by http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2012/09/fig-chutney-recipe/)
Created for Figology Fest LA Part II (7/12/14)
Ingredients
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
6 cloves garlic, sliced
2 turkey legs
Salt and pepper
1 quart duck fat
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, peeled and finely diced
½-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
⅓ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
½ cup apple cider vinegar
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 ½ teaspoons mustard seeds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
Large pinch ground cayenne pepper
1 pound fresh figs, any variety, stemmed and diced
2 heads endive, ends trimmed, leaves separated
Instructions
Make the turkey: In a deep roasting pan big enough to hold both the turkey legs and the duck fat, place the rosemary, bay leaves and garlic. Season the turkey legs with salt and pepper and place on top of the herbs. Refrigerate overnight (uncovered).
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Pour the duck fat over the turkey legs. Place the roasting pan on the stove over medium heat until little bubbles appear.
Bake the turkey legs in the oven for 2-4 hours.
Remove the turkey legs from the duck fat and let cool. Remove the skin, then shred the meat and put in a bowl. Strain the duck fat into a container.
Pour 1 inch of the strained duck fat into a saute pan over medium-high heat. Fry the turkey skin until crisp, about 5-6 minutes. Drain the fried turkey skin (cracklings) on a rack set over a baking sheet, then chop into small pieces.
Make the chutney: In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add all the remaining ingredients except the figs. Cook at a steady simmer for 20 minutes. Add the figs, cover the pot, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the figs are tender and cooked through.
Remove the lid and cook 10 to 15 minutes over low heat, stirring, until the mixture thickens and becomes jam-like.
To serve, lay the endive spears out on a serving platter. Top each one with a spoonful of the turkey confit and a dollop of the fig chutney. Sprinkle with the cracklings. Serve immediately.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 4 hours
Servings: 12+
Note: If you don’t want to make the turkey confit, look for prepared duck confit at gourmet stores.

Fish Tacos With Fig-Fennel Salsa
Recipe by Erika Kerekes, In Erika’s Kitchen
Created for Figology Fest LA Part II (7/12/14)
Ingredients
1 cup finely chopped red onion
1 bulb fennel, fronds removed, finely diced
12 fresh figs, any variety, stemmed and chopped
1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
½ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
juice of 2 large limes
1 ⅛  teaspoon salt, divided
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Sriracha
½ cup finely ground corn flour, such as Maseca
1 pound Pacific rockfish fillets
½ cup grapeseed or canola oil, for frying
12 small corn tortillas
Instructions
Make the salsa: In a medium-sized bowl, gently toss together the onion, fennel, figs, cilantro and mint. Add the lime juice and ⅛ teaspoon salt, then mix gently to combine. Set aside to let the flavors combine.
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and the Sriracha.
In another medium-sized bowl, mix together the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the corn flour.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil.
While the oil is heating, dip the fish fillets into the corn flour mixture and coat on all sides. Slip the fish into the hot oil and pan-fry until golden brown on both sides, turning once after about 2 minutes. When the fish is cooked, let it rest for a minute on a plate lined with paper towels.
Heat the tortillas quickly, either in another skillet over medium-high heat or for 10-15 seconds on each side directly over the burner (this works best with a gas stove).
To serve, place two tortillas on a plate. Put a small piece of fish and a heaping teaspoon of salsa on each tortilla. Top with a small dollop of the Sriracha mayonnaise. Serve immediately.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6 (allow 2 tacos per person)

Roasted Figs On Socca (Chickpea Flatbread)
Recipe by Judy Lyness, Two Broads Abroad
(inspired by http://www.tastingpage.com/cooking/gluten-free-chickpea-flatbread)
Created for Figology Fest LA Part II (7/12/14)
Ingredients
1 cup chickpea (garbanzo) flour
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup water
1 large onion, sliced ¼ inch thick
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for frying the socca
1 pound fresh figs, any variety, stemmed and halved lengthwise
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ cup roasted walnut pieces
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
Make the socca batter: Mix the chickpea flour, cumin and kosher salt in a bowl. Add the water and 1 generous Tablespoon olive oil. Stir or whisk until smooth. Set aside to rest for at least 2 hours.
Prepare the topping: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the remaining olive oil on a baking pan and scatter the sliced onions on top. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes, then flip the onions and bake another 10 minutes.
Add the figs and thyme, sprinkle with the balsamic vinegar, and bake another 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, add the walnuts, and season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Let the roasted figs cool while you make the socca.
Turn on the broiler. Oil a cast-iron skillet or aluminum cake pan, then add about ½ cup of the socca batter and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Pop under the broiler until it is charred in spots, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and slide the socca onto a board. Repeat until all the batter is used up.
Cut the socca into pieces and serve topped with the roasted figs.
Prep time: 15 minutes plus resting time
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8

Grilled Spicy Pork Tenderloin With FigsRecipe by Judy Lyness, Two Broads Abroad
Created for Figology Fest LA Part II (7/12/14)
Ingredients
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup dark brown sugar
1-inch cube of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
2-3 Thai chilis, stems removed
4 cloves garlic
1 pork tenderloin, cleaned and sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 pound Brown Turkey figs, stemmed and cut in half lengthwise
12 bamboo or metal skewers
Spiced Fig Not Ketchup, for serving
Instructions
Place the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, ginger, chilis and garlic in a blender and blend until smooth.
Put the sliced pork into a baking dish. Pour the marinade over the pork, tossing to make sure all pieces are coated thoroughly with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or as long as overnight.
Heat a gas or charcoal grill, or heat a ridged grill pan over high heat.
Thread the pork slices onto half the skewers so the flat side will rest on the grill; put the halved figs on the remaining skewers, piercing them top and bottom as you thread them. You will have 3-4 pieces of pork or fig on each skewer.
Grill the skewers 3-5 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through and the figs are starting to caramelize.
Serve the skewers with Spiced Fig Not Ketchup for dipping.
Prep time: 10 minutes plus marinating time
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6

Fresh Fig TartRecipe by Judy Lyness, Two Broads Abroad
Created for Figology Fest LA Part II (7/12/14)
Ingredients
2 teaspoons plus ½ cup granulated sugar, divided
pinch of salt
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
½ cup milk, divided
1 cup almond flour
1 pound whole milk ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
zest of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound fresh Mission figs, stemmed and cut in half lengthwise
Equipment: 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom
Instructions
Make the tart shell: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place 2 teaspoons sugar, salt and flour in the food processor and pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal.
Add ¼ cup milk and pulse just until the batter holds together.
Scatter the almond flour on your work surface and roll out the dough on the almond flour. Place the dough in the tart pan and trim the edges. Prick the bottom of the tart all over with a fork.
Put the tart shell in the oven, checking it after 5 minutes to pop any bubbles. Bake the tart shell for a total of 15 minutes or until it is golden brown around the edges.
While the tart shell is baking, mix together all the remaining ingredients except the figs in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth.
Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Pour the filling into the pre-baked tart shell. Bake at the lower temperature until gently set, about 20 minutes. Let the tart cool.
Arrange the cut figs on the top of the tart in a decorative pattern.
To serve, cut into wedges.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Servings: 8

Fig Zinfandel SorbetRecipe by Judy Lyness, Two Broads Abroad
Created for Figology Fest LA Part II (7/12/14)
Ingredients
2 pounds fresh Mission figs, stemmed and chopped
½ cup sugar
½ cup honey
1 cup white Zinfandel wine
Instructions
Cook figs with honey and sugar until soft and a bit thick.
Puree with an immersion blender - the mixture is hot, so be careful.
Pour in the wine and mix.
Chill the mixture in the refrigerator until very cold.
Pour into an ice cream maker and churn until frozen.
Serve immediately for softer consistency, or spoon into a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6-8